Doormat



Nov. 14, 1933. 4 y D, NEW A 1,935,517

DOORMAT Filed Feb. 9, 1933 *1.55 f Figure 6 is a transverse sectional View,

Patented Nov. 14, 1933 ieri'reur Price Doorman? David New, South Bend, Ind., assignor to Steinmetz Sanitary Doormat Company of America, South'Bend, Ind., a corporation of Indiana Application February 9, 1933. seria1N0.655,919

- le claims. 10115-217) The invention relates to doormats, and particularly to self-cleaning doormats.

Self-cleaning doormats, as heretofore constructed, have generally been too expensive of construction to warrant their extensive use, de-

spite the advantages of their construction. This has largely been due to the necessity Vof employing a number of sections ofr expensive construction to make up the mat. Another objection to previous devices of this character has been that, to be fully effective, these mats required the use of a dirt collector as an additional element separate from the elements forming the mat. Y

It istherefore the-primary object of `the'in vention to provide a device of this character which is simple in construction and inexpensive to manufacture, and which is self-cleaning andcollects the dirt from the feet of the user.

A further Yobject is to provide a device of this 2o character with an underframe formed of a single piece of material. e

A further object is tov provide a device -of this character with an underframe which serves both to sustain the weight of the user and to collect dirt wiped from the ieet of theyuser.

A further object is to provide a device of this character having a brush frame and an underframe, in which the brush frame cooperates with the underframe to form a pan for the purpose of collecting dirt brushedfromvthe shoes.

A further object is to provide a device of this character having an underframe in which are formed a plurality of spacedv upstandingribs which are engaged at their opposite ends by endv cleats vof an upper frame, whereby the two frames are held in operative relation.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts as hereinafter set forth, shown in the drawing, described and claimed, it being understood that changes may be made in the precise embodiment of the invention within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a plan View of the device. 1

Figure 2 is a Vtransverse sectional view of the device taken on line 2-2 of Figure 1. v

Figure 3 is a perspective View of the brush :1,150 frame.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the underirame.

Figure 5 is a transverse'sectional view of the Vdevice taken on line 5-5 of Figure 2.

similar to Figure 2, illustrating va modified construction of the mat. VReferring to the drawing, which illustrates the preferred embodimentA oi the invention, the-numeralV 10 designates end cleats which are pref- (50 erably provided with downwardly inclinedv end portions 1l.v These cleats carry a plurality of brush bars 12 which extend perpendicularly theretoand in spaced parallel relation. These kbrush bars are'secured at their ends to the cleats (55 10 adjacent the bottom thereof, and, in combination with said cleats, form a brush frame. The bristles 13 of the brushes preferably extend in spaced relation above the upper surface of the cleats. f j.

Disposed beneath the brush frame is an underframe V1li which is preferably formed of sheet metal-'of a width equal'to the spacing of the cleats 1,0 The underframe is provided withfa plurality ci spaced, parallel,.,upwardly directed ribs 15 75 intermediate its ends. These ribs are preferably formed ininverted V-shape.: -In spaced relation to theends of the underi'rame and spaced from theuter'ribs 15 are forrn'ed upwardly directed members 16, preferably extending ,slightly higher thansaid ribs, and from the upper Lends of said members 16 extend angular end portionsll.y

`The brush frame Viits over and is'z's'upported bythe underframele with the brush'bars 12 thereof mounted onv the iiat portions 18 oi the 85 underframe` between adjacent ribs v15 andbetween the end ribs and the upwardly directed members 16, the outer brush bars being disposed in closely spaced relation to the' members 16 whereby said members preventmovement'of the 90 brushtrame relative to the underirame and longitudinallyoi the cleats 10. Movement of the brush frame relative to the underframe andl transversely of cleats 10 is prevented by the forrnationcf the underrameof a width equal to the spacing of the cleats 10 whereby the ends of the ribs 15 engage the sides of said cleats. This relative positioning of thecleats and theunderframe provides substantially a pan constructionv of which the retaining sides are vformed by the cleats and by the upwardly directed members 16, whereby all dirt brushed from the feet of the y users is deposited in and Yretained bythe under- Iframe, rather than'passing through the mat and falling upon` the floor. Removal'of the brush 195 frame gives access to the underframe to permit removal of the dirt collected thereon.

The ribs 15 are preferablyformed of a height less than that of the'cleats 10 and greater than that of the brush bars 12.

Thus, in the use of 1,170 .i

the mat, the bristles 13 do not sustain the full weight of the user under which they are bent, the ribs forming a solid support by which the weight of the user is assumed after the brushes have been depressed to the level of the upper surface of the ribs. rIhis prevents excessive bending and breaking of the bristles. The dirt loosened from the feet of the user by wiping against said brushes falls to the lower portions of the underframe, and is directed and deflected thereto by the-angular sides of the ribs, so that the feet of the user do not contact loose dirt to defeat the purpose of the mat, as occurs in conventional one-piece mats. A further self-cleaning action of the mat is provided by the resumption by the bristles of their normal upright position after being depressed by use, whereby the dirt which they wipe from the feet is thrown therefrom onto the underframe.

It will be understood thatvarious modifications of the particular construction described may be employed, such, for instance, as the construction illustrated in Figure 6. This construction is designed to provide the,mat with a larger brush surface, and employs spaced pairs of brushes 20, the brushes of each pair extending in closely spaced relation between the cleats 10, and being mounted on an underframe provided with spaced ribs l5, in the same manner as in the preferred construction. It will also be understood that while a two-part construction is preferred, the underframe, brushes and side cleats may be interconnected to provide a unitary construction.

It will thus be seen that a very simple doormat is provided in which the underframe supports the brush frame, provides ribs for supporting the weight of the user when the brushes have been .partially depressed, and in which the side cleats of the brush frame close the sides of the underframe to retain on the underframe dirt which has been deposited thereon in the use of the mat.

The -invention having been set forth, what is claimed as new and useful is:-

1. In a doormat, a sheet metal underframe having a plurality of upwardly directed, spaced, parallel ribs formed therein intermediate its ends, said underframe having its opposite ends bent perpendicularly thereof in spaced relation to said ribs and terminating in downwardly outwardly inclined end portions, and a brush frame comprising spaced parallel side cleats and a plurality of spaced parallel brushes extending between said cleats, said brush frame being mounted on said underframe to position said brushes between said las i ving between said cleaning elements, said side ribs, said underframe being of a width equal to the spacing of said cleats whereby said ribs abut said cleats at their ends and said cleats constitute side members for said underframe to form a dirt collecting pan.

2. In a doormat, a sheet metal underframe having aV plurality of upwardly directed, spaced, parallel ribs formed thereinf and a brushv frame comprising spaced parallel side cleats and a plurality of spaced parallel brushes extending between said cleats, said brush frame being mounted on said underframe with said brushes disposed between said ribs and said cleats disposed adjacent the ends of said ribs to substantially close the sides of said underframe.

3. In a doormat,V a sheet metal underframe having a plurality of upwardly directed, spaced, parallel ribs formed therein, and a brush frame comprising spaced parallel side cleats and a plurality of spaced parallel brushes extending between said cleats, said brush frame being mounted on said underframe with said brushes disposed between said ribs and said cleats disposed adjacent the ends of said ribs to substantially close the sides of said underframe, the upper ends of 00 said ribs being disposed below the upper surface of said brushes to support the weight of a user when the brushes have been depressed thereby.

4. In a doormat, a sheet metal underframe having a plurality of spaced upstanding ribs of inverted V-shaped form, and a brush frame comprising side bars and spaced brushes extending between said bars, the spacing of said bars being equal to the width of said underframe, said brush frame being disposed on said underframe with said brushes disposed between said ribs and said side bars being disposed adjacent the ends of said ribs to substantially close the sides of said underframe and provide a dirt collecting frame.

5. In a doormat, a'cleaner frame and an under- @l its i-ic

frame, said cleaner frame comprising spaced side *5 members and spaced cleaning elements extending between said side'members, said underframe comprising a plate disposed beneath said cleaner frame and having upwardly directed ribs extend- @o members abutting the opposite sides of said underframe to close the sameand provide a dirt collecting pan.

6. In a doormat,a plate carrying spaced up- 159 wardly directed members, cleaning elements disposed on said plate betweenV said members, and side bars carried by the opposite ends of said cleaning elements and engaging said plate to close the sides thereof and provide a dirt collecting pan. ,V1-,30

DAVID NEW.4 U 

